Three Alabama Athletics Programs Earn NCAA APR AwardMen's Golf and Women's Golf and Tennis all earned the award again this year

May 7, 2014

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - -
The University of Alabama had three athletics teams honored with the NCAA Division I Public Recognition Award, the NCAA announced Wednesday, led by the Crimson Tide's defending national and Southeastern Conference champion men's golf team and SEC Champion women' tennis team

"We are proud to have three of our programs recognized in this manner," University of Alabama Director of Athletics Bill Battle said. "All three teams are great examples of the championship balance we strive for across the board in both academics and excellence."

Each year the NCAA honors select Division I sports teams by publicly recognizing their latest multi-year NCAA Division I Academic Progress Rate (APR). This award is part of the overall Division I academic reform effort and is intended to highlight teams that demonstrate a commitment to academic progress and retention of student-athletes by achieving the top APRs within their respective sports. Specifically, these teams posted multi-year APRs in the top 10 percent of all squads in each sport.

In addition to men's golf and women's tennis, the Tide's 2013 SEC Champion women's golf team was honored for the fourth year in a row. The women's tennis team was recognized for the third year in a row. The Tide was third among SEC athletics departments for the total number of teams earning the Public Recognition Award.

"We are also pleased to once again have multiple teams earn this award," Battle said. "We are also proud of the fact that we have had at least one team honored in this fashion every year since the award's inception in 2005."

Crimson Tide teams have earned the NCAA honor 17 times over the past eight years. The overall APR report covering all sports will be released next week.